Pupil assessment

Pupils are assessed in four different ways in the Folkeskole (the single structure education level):

• Student plans
• National tests
• Examinations
• General proficiency

Student plans

The student plan is a tool to communicate between the pupil, teachers and parents about the pupil’s academic level and general development. The student plan is used to systematically evaluate and follow up on the pupil’s learning outcome.

The student plan contains three parts: Objectives, status and follow-up:

• The objectives part contains individual objectives for the individual pupil’s learning based on the Common Objectives (Fælles Mål), which describe the national learning objectives for the school subjects.
• The status part shows the pupil’s progress in relation to the learning objectives set.
• The follow-up part describes how and when, respectively, pupil, teacher and parents should follow up on the objectives.

All pupils from form 0 (preschool class) to 9 have a student plan that supports a systematic, ongoing evaluation, monitoring and improvement of the pupils' learning outcome.

From form 8, the purpose of the plan is to clarify the pupils' educational choices and prepare them for an upper secondary education programme. The student plan for pupils in form 8 and 9 contains the following:

• Which upper secondary education programme the pupil intends to apply for.
• An assessment of whether or not the pupil has the necessary social and personal skills for starting and completing an upper secondary educational programme after form 9.
• If a pupil is assessed 'not ready for an upper secondary programme', the plan describes the measures to be initiated with regard to the pupil’s future and further development.

The student plan is online, has to be updated once a year and contains information on all subjects. The student plan must be short and precise so that it can be useful and an easily accessible tool for teachers, pupils and parents.

The municipal council can decide their own additional objectives regarding the student plan. This includes when and how often student plans must be updated and how parents are involved.

The concept of the present student plan is under consideration as the student plan have been under evaluation.

National tests

The national tests test the pupils’ knowledge and skills in seven different subjects from the second until the eighth form. The purpose of the tests is to provide a better general assessment of the pupils' academic level. The national tests are:

• Individual
• Digital
• Adaptive (the questions’ difficulty adapts according to the answers)
• Self-scoring
• Yearly
• Take approximately 45 minutes to complete

National tests are aimed at the following forms and subjects: 

When the test is completed, the teacher will inform the pupil of the results. The results will also be a topic included in the ongoing talks between the teacher and the pupil. The national tests and the test results are confidential. If the parents request their child’s test result, the school will inform the parents of the results.

The national tests have been under evaluation in 2019 and a new evaluation and assessment system is under consideration. 

Until the school year 2019/2020, the national tests have been compulsory for all schools. As for the school year 2020/21 the Ministry of Children and Education has chosen a representative cross section of schools that must carry out the national tests, but due to the evaluation, most schools are at liberty to decide not to carry out the national tests.

Examinations

The Act on Folkeskolen (municipal primary and lower secondary school) states that examinations are held at two different levels:

1. The leaving examination (at form 9 and 10).
2. The 10th form examinations (only at form 10).

Standard rules have been developed for all examinations to ensure uniformity throughout the country. For the same reason, the written examination are national and marked at central level.

The national examinations cover the following subjects:

Furthermore, the leaving examination contains an exam in one of the below mentioned subjects, which one is decided by drawing lots by the Ministry of Children and Education:

One of the following subjects is included in the leaving examination, which one is decided by drawing lots by the Ministry of Children and Education:

In addition to this, it is possible for the pupils to choose one or more additional subjects for their leaving examination.

From the school year 2020/2021, the leaving examinations include one of the following practical subjects:

• Home economics
• Crafts and design
• Visual arts
• Music

Pupils choose the subject in which they wish to be examined. The mark received in the exam is included in the leaving examination certificate received after form 9. Although the examination in the practical subjects take place in form 8.

The leaving examination after 10th form is voluntary. Pupils decide whether or not to sit for examinations in a subject upon consultation with their teachers and parents. The examination at this stage places higher academic demands on the pupils than the examinations after form 9.

For the examinations in form 8, 9 and 10, marks are given indicating the performance of the pupil.

General proficiency

General proficiency marks are given at least twice a year in form 8 and 9. Proficiency marks are given in all exam subjects. The last marks of the school year are given immediately before the written examinations and express the pupils’ proficiency in the subject at that particular time.

In 9th and 10th form, a mandatory project assignment gives pupils the opportunity to complete and present an interdisciplinary project. The project assignment is assessed in a written statement on the content, working process and presentation of the result as well as a mark. The written statement gives a broader and more detailed assessment of the student’s ability.

Progression of pupils

Progression to the next form happens automatically as pupils have to follow the form that corresponds with their age. However, it is possible for pupils to repeat or skip a form. The school head can, after consulting the parents, decide to let the pupil repeat or skip a form. Replacement typically happens at the start of the school year.

Repeating and skipping a school year is an almost non-existing phenomenon in the Danish municipal primary and lower secondary school (Folkeskole).

Certification

In single structure education, pupils receive a certificate after passing the Leaving Examination of the primary and lower secondary school (Folkeskolen) in the 9th form. The certificate contains information about the educational activities in which the pupil has participated including the end of year marks. Furthermore, it includes information on the assessment at the leaving examinations expressed in marks and written statements in subjects where marks are not given.

The school is responsible for issuing the certificate and for storing the necessary information in order to issue certificates and statements. The school is obliged to issue a new certificate or statement if lost.

The admissions criteria for secondary education depend on which secondary education the pupil wish to attend. For further information on secondary education, please visit chapter 6.

References

Legal Information, 2019a. Ministerial Order on Folkeskolen’s leaving examinations. (Bekendtgørelse om folkeskolens prøver). (Accessed: 14.09.2020).

Legal Information, 2019b. Ministerial Order on the law on Folkeskolen. (Bekendtgørelse af lov om Folkeskolen). (Accessed: 14.09.2020).

Legal Information, 2014. Ministerial Order on requirements for digital student plans in Folkeskolen. (Bekendtgørelse om krav til digitale elevplaner i folkeskolen). (Accessed: 14.09.2020).

Ministry of Children and Education, 2020a. About the national tests. (Om de nationale test). (Accessed: 14.09.2020).

Ministry of Children and Education, 2020b. Certificates and requirements for passing. (Beviser og beståkrav). (Accessed: 14.09.2020).

Ministry of Children and Education, 2020c. Examination subjects in eighth form. (Prøvefag i 8. klasse). (Accessed: 14.07.2020).

Ministry of Children and Education, 2020d. Examination subjects in ninth and tenth form. (Prøvefag i 9. og 10. klasse). (Accessed: 14.07.2020).